Draft-indicator.



1. MAHER.

DRAFT INDICATOR.

APPLICATION .FILED 1m31. 1914.

Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

,Zz/5m' www Emmen/0r.' 75%? Maia J. MAHER.

DRAFT INDICATOR. r APPLlcATxoN man 1AN.31,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

f Patented May 22,l 1917.

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JoHN MAHEE, oEcLEvELAND, oHIo, AssrGNoE 0E ONE-ErETH ro EUGENE QUIGLEY AND ONE-FIFTH To JOHN J. MCKEE. BOTH 0E CLEVELAND, oHro.

DRAFT-INDICATOR.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Application led January 31, 1914. Serial No. 815,689.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JOHN MAHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Draft-Indicators, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

This invention has general reference to an indicator purposed to an accurate determination of the existing draft of vessels. More particularly the conception is associated with a contrivance, for satisfactorily accomplishing the results sought, in which certain standardized parts'are made adjustable. When combined with optional electric connections and an auxiliary indicator which may be adjusted to correspond, the reading may be reproduced at a commanding' location such as the pilot house.

I am well acquainted with the numerous efforts to attain the same object in a more or less similar manner and, therefore, now declare what I believe to be the distinguishing patentable features of my arrangement. To my knowledge the principle heretofore centered has been to set a device so that an. aural or visual signal would be annuneiated when the water level reached a predetermined'height with respect to the vessel. It is often quite important not to exceed a certain draft duringloading, and inasmuch as some cargoes are supplied very rapidly this is very apt to occur after the desired draft has been reached. It is, of course, equally desirable not to carry less than the stipulated load or the maximum load in cases where a telegraphic report as to the depth of certain channels must be considered-in short, aecuracyis demanded. I have contrived to make possible the-annunciation of a.' signal a little in advance of an arrival at the desired draft, at which time the speed `of loading should be checked, and thereafter, such a simple manipulation that the progress of loading thenceforward may be continuously noted atthe commanding location. This I have feasibly exemplified in the drawings by. an arrangement of a plurality of individual circuits electrically connected respectively with a given indicia upon each of two graduated scales,` together with a pair of movable connecting elements adapted to close such circuits successively whenever both come in series with any particular circuit. One of these is moved automatically whereas the other as already suggested is subject to manipulation.

The inventive conception is embodied in means which are hereinafter explained and variously combined in the claims, while the annexed drawing and particular description thereof together set forth in detail certain means constituting my invention, the disclosed means, however, being but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of my invention may be applied.

Figure I is a longitudinal section of a vessel indicating the manner of attaching my invention with the hull thereof.

Fig.II is an elevation of a simplied form of one detail of my invention as employed for direct readings.

Fig. III is an enlarged viewl of a part of the construction shown in Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a diagrammatic representation of my complete invention.

Fig.v V is an enlarged view of one detail, namely, the automatic circuit closer.

Fig`. VI is a section on line VI-VI of the'upper part of Fig. IV looking in the direction of the arrows. v

Generally speaking, the purpose ofv an invention such as mine is to make possible the ascertainmentv of the draft of the vessel without requiring an inspection of the graduations on the exterior of the hull veither fore or aft. It is obvious that this latter is often either at night or when the surface ofthe water is choppy, both uncertain and inconvenient. The simpler formof my invention seen in Figs. II and III is to permit of. readings in the hull` of the vessel near the sea-cock to which it may be attached. The feature of its arrangement is merely lin the provision of a vertically adjustable gage glass and means for precisely supporting such glass in various positions in the direction of alinementof the graduations to be `required in conjunction therewith. The advantage of this is to permit'of the use of a much smaller, in fact standardized water. ggesi vVith reference first to Fig. I in which the hull of a vessel will be seen designated by the reference letter A and a pair of fore and aft sea-cocks a. I prefer to have these-seacocks those which are usually provided ready.

l the neighborhood of the valve a is an upright board B having graduated indicia representing feet and inches and arranged to correspond precisely with the draft of the vessel and, of course, also with whatever graduations there may be on the exterior of the hull at that end of the vessel. Extending alongside and in front of the board B is an upright supporting rod C provided with openings o which are in this instance all spaced an inch apart. A water gage designated in its entirety as D comprises upper and lower opposed brackets Z having upwardly and downwardly projecting` hollow bosses Z2 and clamping rods Z2 adapted to hold firmly seated in opposed recesses (not shown) a glass tube Zt This tube ZL registers in the usual manner with the openings in the bosses Z2 and is given a water-tight connection therewith through the medium of any suitable packing. The brackets Z` have laterally projecting portions (Z5, each provided with an opening el, and spaced lt is therefore apapart exactly one foot. parent that thumb-screws Z7 may serve to secure the portions Z5 and hence the water gage D to any pair of openings c which are equally spaced, that is, six inches from the existing water level. Below, the opening Z2 is connected with the valve a3 through the medium of a flexible hose-length cZS. Above, the opening Z2 is provided with a constricted open pipe CZ adapted to serve as a vent.

'The operation of this application of my invention involves the setting of the water gage so that the middle thereof is about opposite Ithe point corresponding to the draft which it is desired to have the vessel assume. Thereafter, any chanO'e ifi the draft of the vessel may be continuously noted and, when necessary, the water gage as a whole moved upwardly or downwardly as the requirement may be. -When the water upon which the vessel Ais floating is agitated for one reason or another, the fluctuation on the part of the water level in the glass Zt is apt to make the reading` diflicult if not uncertain. lt is to overcome at least in sufficient measure such a disturbance that the throttle valve a3 has been supplied. Fig. l also shows the inclusion of my invention in the middle of the vessel at which place it is, however, not connected with a sea-cock below lout with a hole at in the side of the ship, located just below the loaded line. .The draft indicator so placed is intended for use only when the ship is loaded and for the purpose of noting vhow much the ship has been temporarily distorted by uneven loading. This middle indicator in so far coperates with the fore and aft indicators inl effecting a` proper trimming ofthe Vessel so that the bow is somewhat lighter. This middle indicator furthermore assists in determining how much the vessel settles when running.

Adverting new to Sheet Two, and specifically to Fig. TV thereof, it will be seen that the brackets Z are of duplex construction and secured to a rod 02 having openings c3 spaced one inch apart, by means of a middle collar Zw corresponding to the portion cZ5. The upper and lower opposed portions CZ on the side of the rod c2 opposite to that of the glass Z4 are likewise hollow and in communication with the hose cZS. Secured between the portions Zmas an alternately superposed arrangement are a plurality of metal tubular sections ZM and insulating rings Z13 recessed interiorly for a purpose to be hereinafterexplained. Each of the tubular sections C12 should be substantially one inch in height to correspond with the graduations on the board B and the openings c3.

The upper portion lll is provided with a removable cap Z1t -having a small central l opening" as shown in Fig. TV. As will now be readily understood, the water may now seek its level in both the glass CZ4 and in the composite tubular construction supported between the portions c 11.

To proceed to the description of such of my invention as is to be remotely located perhaps preferably in the pilot house, it will be seen to comprise a board E to which is secured a dial c having a central opening. The dial c is secured to the plate through the medium of screws e2'. Near the periphery of the dial e, along an arc of given extent, are a plurality of electrical contacts e3. Each of these contacts is connected with a wirel e4 to one of the tube sections ZU as seen in Fig. ,V. Accordingly each of the contacts e3 represents an inch. Loosely inclosing the dial e is a ring F, also having graduations in feet and inches. This ring is underlapped slightly with respect to the dial c and vheld in place by means of an arcuate separating plate f, which is in turn secured to the dial c" by means of screws The ring F is provided with a handle f3 vby means of which it may be rotated with respect to the dial e for a purpose to be presently explained. The periphery of the ring F is furthermore notched or fashioned with serrations f4 whereby the same may be held in place by the action of a pawl f1 arranged Rotatably mounted in the bushing f6 is a ya momentary obstruction therewith.

stem f1 having a knurled insulated head. Keyed to the stem f7 intermediately of its head and the dial e, is an index finger f8 provided near its extremity with a contact surface f1. The arrangement is such that the contact fg may pass successively over the contacts e1 when the index finger f8 is rotated. The inner end ofthe stem f7 is connected by means of a wire f1", first to a bell #'11 and then with a battery )"12 and extending to a point above and in line with the opening in the cap 6214 is there connected :with the upper extremity of a rod 7m which projects through such opening. This rod should be of a length substantially the same as the height of the water gage. Its lower extremity is loosely connected with the center of the upper tapered surface of a copper float fm. The weight of the rod f should be such that the float is submerged so that the junction f15 of its upper tapered surface and side' is flush with the surface of the water. The weight of the rod fm because of its loose connection with the oat 7, will conti-ive to keep the latter with certainty against one side or the other and prevent possible vibration causing an intermittent contact. The lateral surface )16 of the float, should have an extent well in excess of the width of the recesses between adjacentv of the sections (11 in order to prevent even In this connection it should now be mentioned that the insulatingrings Z13 are recessed to prevent the float coming in contact therewith. By having the float submerged to a definite extent it is possible to know within a half inch accuracy when the water level is so near one of the insulating rings 13 that the float 7G15 can contact with each of two adjacent sections 12 simultaneously. In other words, if the alarm can be sounded at any moment by bringing the index finger s in contact with two adjacent of the contacts e3, then the water level or junction )15 must be within a half inch of the particular insulating ring Z13 which is interposed between the two sections 11 corresponding to such pair of adjacent contacts.

It should accordingly be manifest that a plurality of individual circuits are rovided, each connected in series, with a battery and a bell, and each of which is capable of being closed either by the rise or fall/of the float f13 or by the manipulation of the index finger fs until they `both connect in series with the same particular circuit.

The operation lof my draft indicator may now be described Vas follows, assuming that the vessel is light and that'it is desired to have the final draft of the vessel at twenty feet and one-half inch, ask shown by the water level in Fig. IV and the arrow on the ring F. i

The index finger f8 is advisedly first set at say nineteen feet, six inches so that when the vessel 'has settled, and, therefore, the water in the component tube 12 Z13 risen, and necessarily also the float )"13 risen to the level of the particular section el correspondingto and having electrical connection with the particular contact e3 which corresponds to the graduation nineteen feet, six inches on the'ring F, the circuit will be automatically closed and the alarm f annunciated. At such timel the person d in charge ofthe loading will have been apprised `that the draft of the vessel is approaching that with which it is desired to sail. I-Ie thereupon directs a checking of the speed with which the cargo is being supplied, atthe same time readjusting the index finger f8 more closely toward twenty feet and one-half inch. When the float '713 pres'- ently reachesso as to have contact with the particular section Z12 which is a part of the circuit which the index finger then forms a part of, the alarm f11 will be again annunciated. As will now be perceived, the possibility is afforded of ascertaining at any time just what the momentary draft of the vessel is. This procedure merely involves moving the index finger f5 "to the left from one contact e3 to the next until the signal is sounded. By calculating the relation of certain time intervals, the rate at which the cargo is being supplied can at any time be known. In practice the vessel is loaded with the maximum draft conducive to good sailing qualities and at the same time dependent upon the shallowness of specific channels through which the vessel will pass on schedule time. 'i Forexample, if the vessel is to pass through one of the canals the draft of the vesselmay be fixed somewhat inexcess of the depth of such canal on the theory that by the time the vessel is passing therethrough the reduction in the fuel supply will have compensated for such excess. The essence of my conception will now 'be perceived as involvingnot only precision but facility in determining at any time and for any purpose just what the draft of the vessel at any one of a number of locations may be.

I claim:

1. A draft indicator comprising the combinationV with a vessel, of a scale having graduated indicia corresponding' with the depth of the hull, a member supported adj awith different pairs of such openings whereby an adjustment in the direction of alinement of said graduations may be effected.`

2. A draft indicator comprising the combination with a vessel, of an upright member having graduations coincidingwith the draft of the vessel, a water gage extending alongside of said member and adjustable in the direction of alinement of said graduations, means for fixing said gage in various positions, a sea-cock for controlling communication through the hull of the vessel, said gage adapted to communicate with the water through said cock,` and a valve positioned intermediately of said sea-cock and gage and adapted to throttle such communication.

3. A draft indicator comprising the combination of the hull of a vessel, a member having graduations coinciding with the draft of such hull, a bar extending alongside said member and having openings spaced as said graduations, a water gage in open communication through said hull and having laterally projecting portions at opposite ends, and means for securing said portions in various positions in different pairs of said openings whereby the middle of said gage assumes a predetermined position.

A draft indicator comprising the combination of the hull of a vessel, a plate having graduations coinciding with the true draft of such hull, a bar extending alongside said member and provided withropenings definitely spaced with respect to said graduations, a water gage fin open communication through said hull and having laterally projecting brackets, such brackets being spaced as said openings, and thumbscrews forsecuring said brackets at different pairs o-f said openings.

5. A draft indicator comprising the combination with a hull, of an electric circuit including in series, a source of energy, a signal, a manually operable switch, a water container in communication through such hull and provided 4with a column of superposed terminals, and anfloat adapted to contact laterally with all of said terminals, and weighting means carried by said iioat and bodily movable withv it past said terminals whereby the float is tilted against some particular terminal.

6. A draft indicator comprising the combination with a hull, of an electric circuit including series, a source of eneroy, a signal, a water container in communication through such hull and provided with a terminal, a float adapted to contact with said terminal, and means for adjusting said container in the direction of its axis with respect to the position of said iioat.

'4'. A draft indicator comprising the combination with a hull, of an electric circuit including in series, a source of energy, a signal, a water tube in open communication through said hull and having a band constituting a terminal, a copper iioat in said tube and a rod loosely connected with said float and adapted to hold it against said band.

8. A draft indicator comprising an electric circuit including a source of energy and a signal, a tube having open water communication and provided with electrical terminals corresponding to and indicating actual graduated draft indicia, a switch-board having electrical contacts corresponding to and indicating said terminals respectively, a switch adapted to successively rub said switch-board contacts, and a float adapted to rub said tube terminals, whereby successive annunciations of said signal may be definitely interpreted.

9. A draft indicator comprising the com-v bination with the hull of a vessel, of an electric circuit including in series; a source of energy, a water container in communication through such hull, said container including a plurality of superposed and insulated sections, each of said sections constituting a terminal, and means including a float in said container adapted to effect contact with said terminals.

10. A draft indicator comprising the combination with the hull of a vessel and an upright member mounted therein and having graduations corresponding with the true draft of the vessel, of an electric circuit including; a source of energy, a hollow bracket in communication through said hull and adjustable along' said upright member, a tube carried by and in communication through said bracket said tube havin@ D 7 b plurality of terminals, and means including an electrically connected ioat adapted to effect contact with said terminals.

1l. A draft indicator comprising the combination with the hull of a vessel, of an upright tube having communication therethrough, said tube having a plurality of terminals associated therewith, means for dividual of said Vcircuits whereby to annun-` ciate said signal for eac-h indicating terminal depending upon the relative movement of said switches.

l2. A draft indicator comprising the combination with a vessel, of a substantially upright member having graduations coinciding with the actual draft indications of the vessel, a water gage extending alongl the of a number of predetermined positions side of said member and adjustable there- Signed by me this `28th day of January, along, means for Xing said gage in any one 1914.

relative to said indications and an electric JOHN MAI-IER. y

-current including; a source of energy, a' Attested bysignal, a terminal in said gage and a float -MARY COLEMAN, adapted to Contact said terminal. A. F. SCHLEGEL.

- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

